Modernist or not – La Spinettas great wines

The battle between modernists and traditionalists in Piemonte was maybe at it’s peek some 10-15 years ago. It concerned things like shorter maceration-periods, new oak vs. old slavonian casks and no or total de-stemming.

Today we find wines that show the trademark of both modernists and traditionalists as well as all kind of mixes between the two of them – but most wines of the new millenium have one thing in common: they are made with riper fruit and in a more fruity approachable style that doesn’t need decades in bottle before you open them. And the best thing is that the longevity of the wines does not seem to have been compromised.

The Rivetti family ofLa Spinetta was one of those who was leading the revolution and showing that you can make approachable nebbiolo that still got an impressive (or almost awesome) backbone of tannins and acidity. They started back in the 1970s and they did it with Moscato d’Asti – Piemontes underappreciated sweet light sparkling wine – the closest you get to pure grapejuice when it comes to wine.

But already from the start the Rivettis had there sights set on making great red wine. Braida and Giacomo Bologna had shown what could be done with the barbera grape with their now legendary Bricco dell’Ucellone (1982) and in 1985 the Barbera d’Alba Ca’ di Pian was created at La Spinettas winery in Castagnole Lanze 1985. It is now La Spinettas entry-level wine – but there is nothing simple about it and it offers great value for your money.

What makes La Spinetta modernists is the Rivettis firm belief in new french oak for all their prestige wines. They also use rather short maceration-periods (7-8 days) and so called rotofermenters – rotating vessels for the fermentation and color extraction of their wines. This may make the Spinetta wines a bit more juicy and fruity than those from many other great producers of Barbaresco, Barbera and Barolo. But as I said above – these are serious wines that you can cellar for decades if you like.

So what’s up next? Earlier this years La Spinetta bought the historic sparkling wine producer Contratto in Canelli – and the results so far is stunning. But more on Contratto later here in Uncorked.

In the top photo: The wonderful Manuela Rivetti of La Spinetta. You can see the vineyards for Ca’ di Pian on the hills in the background.